BENTON (WSIL) -- Taylor Moore is the top tennis player at Benton. She won the 1’s match up Tuesday night against Carbondale. Moore's coach, Alyssa Williams credits her success with the extra work she puts in outside of practice.
“I usually try to go every day that I can,� Moore said. “If I have Friday off, I usually try to go out on Friday and I'm usually five days a week if I can.�
in addition to Moore's work ethic, Benton head coach Alyssa Williams says it's her mentality that separates her from the rest.
“I think that's actually what's changed her last year to this year and developed her more as a player,� Williams said. “Last year, she was still a little bit timid, and inexperienced and she would play against tougher individuals. And Kevin and I, my assistant coach, we've discussed how she's now turned into, she's got a little fire behind it now. And if you'll notice on the court, when she plays, she does this little fist pump to herself, she gets really excited when she hits a good shot or hits a nice and stuff like that. And she didn't necessarily show that before. You know, she'd had a good shot and stuff like that and now you can tell she's determined, she's got a mindset, she's gonna go out there and she's gonna win that match.�
“I just think it's like the mind of it,� Moore said. “The puzzle of trying to figure out your other player. And I also think that it's such an individual sport, that you feel so much accomplishment whenever you finish yourself, but then you also feel amazing whenever you finish as a team and win.�
Despite the match outcome, you'll always find Moore with a smile on her face.
"I guess it's just something I've always been taught is no matter what, just as long as you have fun, which tennis is a sport that I have a lot of fun in, which is why I keep doing it no matter what.�
“She is an outstanding person,� Williams said. “Her character shows and it backs up her game as well. She's out there with a smile on our face the entire time that she's playing. And it's it's humbling to see her win matches but walk off and have a huge smile on her face. Or if she has lost a match. She'll walk off and still have a smile on her face and you never even know. She's just kind hearted and sweet.�
